This Is Your Mixtapehttps://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/Wed, 20 Mar 2019 18:11:35 +0000en-USSite-Server v6.0.0-17336-17336 (http://www.squarespace.com)Michael @ Megaphonic.fmWhat five songs describe your life?What was your favourite song when you were a kid? a teen? a young adult? Each episode, Michael asks a guest to talk about their life in five songs.What was your favourite song when you were a kid? a teen? a young adult? Each episode, Michael asks a guest to talk about their life in five songs.noChris Piumachrispiuma@gmail.comepisodic29. Millennial Microwave. [Victoria Williams.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaFri, 08 Mar 2019 17:12:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/29599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5c82945eb208fcc16f040089Victoria Williams is a soprano based in Washington, DC, and originally from Richmond, Virginia. She began her formal studies at Virginia Commonwealth University under the tutelage of the late L. Wayne Batty. Since moving to the DC area in 2011, Victoria became a member of the Aria Club of Greater Washington, DC, but has made her primary singing focus in sacred music, ranging from traditional chant to masterworks to gospel. She has been singing professionally since 2006.

Victoria and Michael talk about impatience, growth, VH1, wanting to be an astronaut, and pragmatic love, among many other things.

Show Notes.

]]>This Is Your MixtapeSoprano Victoria Williams on Mint Condition, Alanis Morissette, Giacomo Puccini, The Clark Sisters, and Anita Baker.Soprano Victoria Williams on Mint Condition, Alanis Morissette, Giacomo Puccini, The Clark Sisters, and Anita Baker.no01:17:032929. Millennial Microwave. [Victoria Williams.]full29. Millennial Microwave. [Victoria Williams.]28. Future Nostalgia. [Dan Kois.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaFri, 15 Feb 2019 17:13:41 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/28599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5c66ec57ee6eb00c623da953Dan Kois is an editor at Slate and a contributing writer to the New York Times magazine. He's the author of Facing Future, a book in the 33⅓ series of music criticism, and the co-author (with Isaac Butler) of The World Only Spins Forward, an oral history of the play Angels in America, a winner of a Stonewall Book Honor from the ALA. His memoir of parenting around the world, How to Be a Family, will be published in September 2019 by Little, Brown.

Dan and Michael talk about mixtape evangelism, the discomfort of growth, celebrating difference, first concerts, and creating memories.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Dan Kois, editor at Slate and author of several books, talks with Michael about R.E.M., Liz Phair, Yo La Tengo, Kacey Musgraves, and Lorde.Dan Kois, editor at Slate and author of several books, talks with Michael about R.E.M., Liz Phair, Yo La Tengo, Kacey Musgraves, and Lorde.no01:17:342828. Future Nostalgia. [Dan Kois.]full28. Future Nostalgia. [Dan Kois.]27. One Song Can Reduce You. [Pete Gresser.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaMon, 14 Jan 2019 16:55:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/27599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5c3bf4a221c67c086c31ac99Pete Gresser is a composer and occasional voice actor who lives with his husband and their incredibly old dog in suburban Los Angeles. He’s written music for the soundtracks of over a dozen games, the most recent release being Rex: Another Island, currently available on Steam. By his own admission, he’s terrible at social media and has made it his 2019 resolution to attempt to feel shame for being terrible at social media, but he makes no promises about actually improving.

Pete and Michael talk about video-game music, Arizona, compositional practices, the reckoning of middle age, and how Björk taught him resilience and pride as a closeted teen.

Show Notes.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Composer Pete Gresser joins Michael to discuss songs by Yazoo, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Masanori Adachi and Taro Kudo, Björk, and Anaïs Mitchell.Composer Pete Gresser joins Michael to discuss songs by Yazoo, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Masanori Adachi and Taro Kudo, Björk, and Anaïs Mitchell.no01:19:372727. One Song Can Reduce You. [Peter Gresser].full27. One Song Can Reduce You. [Peter Gresser].26. A Christmas Story. [Holiday Special.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaSun, 23 Dec 2018 15:00:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/26599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5c1f2f724fa51a0505471450This Is Your Mixtape takes a little holiday break from its usual format. Michael, your steadfast host, tells the story of Christmas when he was twelve through the lens of some carols that are important to him. It's a story about encountering mortality, losing innocence, love, resilience, and the magic of unexpected gifts.

Michael’s Christmas Songs.

The Skater’s Waltz.Carol of the Bells.My Favourite Things.I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.

All of the clips heard in the episode were plonked out by Michael on an out-of-tune upright.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.This Is Your Mixtape takes a little holiday break from its usual format. Michael, your steadfast host, tells the story of Christmas when he was twelve through the lens of some carols that are important to him.This Is Your Mixtape takes a little holiday break from its usual format. Michael, your steadfast host, tells the story of Christmas when he was twelve through the lens of some carols that are important to him. It's a story about encountering mortality, losing innocence, love, resilience, and the magic of unexpected gifts.no00:15:162626. A Christmas Story. [Holiday Special].full26. A Christmas Story. [Holiday Special].25. Cast That Magic Circle Around You. [Melissa Beaupré.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaWed, 12 Dec 2018 19:36:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/25599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5c1152fec2241bf241a523b9Melissa Beaupré lives in Toronto, where she works as a proofreader and copywriter. She once worked as a phone psychic, and she has met the queen, who was totally unaffected by the 35 degree celsius heat. She partially completed a PhD studying female heretics in the middle ages, she fosters cats for the Toronto Cat Rescue, and she enjoys video games.

Melissa’s Five Songs.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Melissa Beaupré, former academic, talks about Stompin’ Tom Connors, Nine Inch Nails, VNV Nation, Current 93, and A Tribe Called Red.Melissa Beaupré, former academic, talks about Stompin’ Tom Connors, Nine Inch Nails, VNV Nation, Current 93, and A Tribe Called Red.no01:19:272525. Cast That Magic Circle Around You. [Melissa Beaupré.]full25. Cast That Magic Circle Around You. [Melissa Beaupré.]24. Invisible Shackles. [Brad Dunne.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaWed, 28 Nov 2018 20:01:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/24599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5bfee94821c67c776f4cc4c5Brad Dunne is a writer from St. John’s, Newfoundland. His debut novel, after dark vapours, tells a gothic werewolf story through a postcolonial lens. His journalism has appeared in Maisonneuve, The Canadian Encyclopedia and The Walrus. He recently launched his own podcast, Deconstruction Junction, where he uses philosophy to find unconventional readings of popular media.

Brad and Michael talk about how music creates self-confidence, playing in a punk band, virtuosity, rap as the most literary musical genre, and how to cope when life unexpectedly throws a series of curveballs your way.

Show Notes.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Novelist Brad Dunne talks about Red Hot Chili Peppers, NOFX, Joe Pass, The Beastie Boys, and Metallica.Novelist Brad Dunne talks about Red Hot Chili Peppers, NOFX, Joe Pass, The Beastie Boys, and Metallica.no01:13:042424. Invisible Shackles. [Brad Dunne.]full24. Invisible Shackles. [Brad Dunne.]23. Fantasy Potential. [Lochin Brouillard.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaWed, 14 Nov 2018 15:54:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/23599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5be914ea562fa7018672e2beLochin Brouillard is a Chinese adopted Québécoise who has been Anglicized and who cultivates a love-hate relationship with France. She went from being the goth high school president to a PhD student in medieval studies who’s interested in monks, family, and gender. She’s a social nerd, a feminist geek, a close reader with big ideas, and a consciously kind Slytherin who tries her best to use her power for good.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Medievalist Lochin Brouillard on Peter Gabriel, Bruno Pelletier, Malajube, Kate Bush, and Iggy Pop.Medievalist Lochin Brouillard on Peter Gabriel, Bruno Pelletier, Malajube, Kate Bush, and Iggy Pop.no01:15:272323. Fantasy Potential. [Lochin Brouillard.]full23. Fantasy Potential. [Lochin Brouillard.]22. Horror is a Comfort to Me. [Adam Clarke.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaFri, 26 Oct 2018 20:31:59 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/22599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5bd377809140b7ec9ebaac17You might know Adam Clarke as one of the hosts of It’s Just a Show, a podcast deep dive into Mystery Science Theatre 3000. He’s also cohost of A Part of Our Scare-itage, a new podcast about Canadian horror films. Adam grew up in Newfoundland, but he’ll often claim that he was raised by a VCR. He has been a successful film critic, standup comic, actor, playwright, and short story author.

Adam and Michael talk about film scores, the contract horror films make with their viewers, the devolution of humanity, moving beyond sloganeering, and finding the joy of independence.

[Content warning: Sections two and five of this episode contain some strong discussion of physical violence. There are warnings beforehand, and if your podcast app supports chapter markers you can skip ahead to avoid any graphic descriptions.]

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Podcaster Adam Clarke on Akira Ifukube, John Carpenter, Devo, Stereolab, and Goblin.Podcaster Adam Clarke on Akira Ifukube, John Carpenter, Devo, Stereolab, and Goblin.no01:19:022222. Horror is a Comfort to Me. [Adam Clarke.]full22. Horror is a Comfort to Me. [Adam Clarke.]21. It Doesn’t Make Any Sense At All (And I Love That). [John Allison.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaWed, 10 Oct 2018 14:46:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/21599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5bbd721c0852295f0cf61d09John Allison is the creator of comic series including Giant Days, Bad Machinery and Scary Go Round. He studied journalism and worked as a designer for five years before becoming a professional cartoonist in 2003. John lives in Letchworth Garden City, halfway between Cambridge and London in the UK.

John and Michael talk about independent-minded children, seizing the means of production, the nature of creativity, the beauty of All-Music Guide, and shady business practices during the dot-com bubble.

John’s Five Songs.

Show Notes.

The John Allison Cinematic Universe is sprawling, and it can be difficult to find a place to start if you’re new to it. I might suggest the first volume of Bad Machinery (available digitally at Comixology and in pulped wood format from Topatoco) as one possibility. It’s about a group of school-age friends who solve mysteries (often with a supernatural element).

In addition to books, John has many prints, t-shirts, etc. for sale. This print of Lady Gaga drawn in the style of Audrey Beardsley is a favourite, and to my mind captures some of the essence of what’s delightful about John’s style and sensibility.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Comics artist John Allison on Scritti Politti, Aimee Mann, The Beach Boys, The Microphones, and Tenement.Comics artist John Allison on Scritti Politti, Aimee Mann, The Beach Boys, The Microphones, and Tenement.no01:14:222121. It Doesn’t Make Any Sense At All (And I Love That). [John Allison.]full21. It Doesn’t Make Any Sense At All (And I Love That). [John Allison.]20. A Kind Sea Witch. [Catherine.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaSun, 30 Sep 2018 16:55:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/20599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5bb0f896e5e5f08a8c77a391Michael’s good friend Catherine would like to one day be described as a kind sea witch. She enjoys continually learning new things and delights over her two happy pets. She plays a few musical instruments and sings, and finds that she is primarily drawn to beautiful and haunting sounds rather than any sort of lyric. Michael and Catherine both grew up learning classical piano in Newfoundland, but their experiences were different in a few key ways.

Catherine and Michael talk about unexpected lullabies, musical education, loving classic rock in high school, the private joy of music that's just for you, and being a powerful feminist witch.

Catherine’s Five Songs.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Michael’s friend Catherine on Depeche Mode, Frédéric Chopin, Jimi Hendrix, Fever Ray, and The Night Terrors.Michael’s friend Catherine on Depeche Mode, Frédéric Chopin, Jimi Hendrix, Fever Ray, and The Night Terrors.no01:04:052020. A Kind Sea Witch. [Catherine.]full20. A Kind Sea Witch. [Catherine.]19. More Than I Have Words For. [Peter Coviello.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaFri, 07 Sep 2018 16:40:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/19599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5b929eb5f950b7bef27b07a2Peter Coviello is Professor of English at the University of Illinois–Chicago, where he specializes in American literature and queer studies. He’s the author of several books, including Tomorrow’s Parties: Sex and the Untimely in Nineteenth-Century America (2013), which was a finalist for a Lambda Award in LGBT Studies. His most recent book is Long Players: A Love Story in Eighteen Songs, out now from Penguin. He has written about queer childhood, Mormon polygamy, the history of sexuality, stepparenthood, Justin Bieber, Walt Whitman, and, whenever he’s had occasion to, Prince. He lives in Chicago.

Peter and Michael talk about building love with rituals, songs as archives for feelings, the difficulty of grief and consolation, the nature of prayer, and punk music as the place where rage can transmute into joy.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Author Peter Coviello on the Jackson 5, the Mountain Goats, Sam Cooke, Los Campesinos!, and Sylvan Esso.Author Peter Coviello on the Jackson 5, the Mountain Goats, Sam Cooke, Los Campesinos!, and Sylvan Esso.no01:13:121919. More Than I Have Words For. [Peter Coviello.]full19. More Than I Have Words For. [Peter Coviello.]18. The Nobility of Failure. [Angelo Muredda.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaFri, 24 Aug 2018 14:51:11 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/18599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5b80195440ec9a251b246a27Angelo Muredda is a Toronto-based teacher and film critic who has written for outlets like Cinema Scope, The Walrus, Film Freak Central, and Now Magazine. He is completing his PhD in English at the University of Toronto. You can find him on Twitter, listen to his Star Trek podcast Highly Logical (co-hosted with Nicole Partyka), and catch his screening series No Future at The Royal Cinema.

Angelo and Michael talk about radical kindness, sad weird kids, impermanence, life in the shadow of sudden trauma, and the comforting thought that the place you’re in is the place you’re meant to be.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Angelo Muredda on The Cranberries, Radiohead, Joanna Newsom, Pixies, and Talking Heads.Angelo Muredda on The Cranberries, Radiohead, Joanna Newsom, Pixies, and Talking Heads.no01:18:181818. The Nobility of Failure. [Angelo Muredda.]full18. The Nobility of Failure. [Angelo Muredda.]17. Euchre for the Leathery Crowd. [David Demchuk.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaWed, 01 Aug 2018 18:30:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/17599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5b612aadaa4a99e9e37c080dDavid Demchuk has been writing for performance, print and digital media for nearly 40 years. He’s got a special interest in queerness and monstrosity. His debut novel, The Bone Mother, was shortlisted and nominated for a number of awards, and was the first horror novel to ever be nominated for the prestigious Giller Prize, in 2017. David grew up in Winnipeg, where he first came out, and moved to Toronto in his early 20s.

David and Michael talk about monsters, gay Winnipeg in the 70s, AIDS, the relentless task of mourning, and playing euchre with leather daddies while the Hells Angels keep you safe.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Writer David Demchuk on The Carpenters, Thelma Houston, This Mortal Coil, Nina Simone, and Florence and the Machine.Writer David Demchuk on The Carpenters, Thelma Houston, This Mortal Coil, Nina Simone, and Florence and the Machine—and on monsters, gay Winnipeg in the 70s, AIDS, the relentless task of mourning, and playing euchre with leather daddies while the Hells Angels keep you safe.no01:08:131717. Euchre for the Leathery Crowd. [David Demchuk.]full17. Euchre for the Leathery Crowd. [David Demchuk.]16. I’m Not Allowed to Be Mad. [Mikaela Dyke.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaTue, 17 Jul 2018 13:40:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/16599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5b4d5aabaa4a99d6f5ad0bf6Mikaela Dyke is an actor and writer from St. John’s currently working as an artistic producer with Circlesnake Productions, a Toronto indie theatre company known for their experimental genre shows. Her solo shows, Dying Hard and Epic Pitch, have toured all across North America to critical and audience acclaim. You can see her online in the webseries Couchsleeps dot com (Folkstar Productions) coming soon.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Mikaela Dyke on Ray Charles, Céline Dion, Nirvana, Weezer, and Solange.Mikaela Dyke is an actor and writer from St. John's currently working as an artistic producer with Circlesnake Productions, a Toronto indie theatre company known for their experimental genre shows. Her solo shows, Dying Hard and Epic Pitch, have toured all across North America to critical and audience acclaim. You can see her online in the webseries Couchsleeps dot com (Folkstar Productions) coming soon.
Mikaela and Michael talk about love songs, road trips, performance, systemic oppression, and how anger is necessary yet futile. no01:19:501616. I’m Not Allowed to Be Mad. [Mikaela Dyke.]full16. I’m Not Allowed to Be Mad. [Mikaela Dyke.]15. My Love Is Better Than Your Love. [Anthony Oliveira (@meakoopa).]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaThu, 28 Jun 2018 18:15:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/15599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5b351cab352f53d22dbd9f4aAnthony Oliveira is a writer, cultural commentator, and trash raccoon with a PhD. He can be found on Twitter at @meakoopa, where he tweets (incessantly) about the arts, politics, and LGBTQ culture, or on his podcast, The Devil’s Party, where he's giving Milton’s Paradise Lost the queer reading it has long been wanting.

Anthony and Michael discuss the ideology of the Muppets, liking ‘girl music’, Catholic school, the superiority of queer love, and the value of kindness.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Anthony Oliveira on Jim Henson [as Ernie], Bonnie Tyler, Beck, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and Estelle [as Garnet].Anthony Oliveira is a writer, cultural commentator, and trash raccoon with a PhD. He can be found on Twitter at @meakoopa, where he tweets (incessantly) about the arts, politics, and LGBTQ culture, or on his podcast, The Devil’s Party, where he's giving Milton’s Paradise Lost the queer reading it has long been wanting.
Anthony and Michael discuss the ideology of the Muppets, the closet, vampires, liking 'girl music', Catholic school, the superiority of queer love, and the value of kindness.no01:19:281515. My Love Is Better Than Your Love. [Anthony Oliveira.]full15. My Love Is Better Than Your Love. [Anthony Oliveira.]14. Jane Goodall and a Marshmallow. [Vivian Kotila.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaMon, 18 Jun 2018 15:32:20 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/14599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5b27c7ec562fa7107cd0084bVivian Kotila is short, round, lives in Toronto, and loves her trash. She’s basically a raccoon that's not as proficient at opening jars. Her two main vices are decaf coffee with too much cream and antique cookbooks. She owns a fighting fish named Cato the Elder.

Vivian and Michael discuss discovering your identity, the joy of bad movies, dealing with grief, what makes humanity redeemable, and the fun side of nuclear holocaust.

Show Notes.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Vivian Withnail on Red Hot Chili Peppers, Howlin' Wolf, Dawes, Andrew Jackson Jihad, and Tom Lehrer.Vivian Withnail on Red Hot Chili Peppers, Howlin' Wolf, Dawes, Andrew Jackson Jihad, and Tom Lehrer—and on discovering your identity, the joy of bad movies, dealing with grief, what makes humanity redeemable, and the fun side of nuclear holocaust.no01:18:151414. Jane Goodall and a Marshmallow. [Vivian Kotila].full14. Jane Goodall and a Marshmallow. [Vivian Kotila].13. Queen of the Dandom. [Libby Cudmore.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaFri, 01 Jun 2018 21:00:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/13599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5b119805562fa7d8c6e22509Libby Cudmore is the author of the novel The Big Rewind (William Morrow), a murder mystery where a mixtape is the key to unlocking whodunnit. She has written for Paste, Albumism, Vinyl Me Please, the Captain’s Blog at YachtRock.com, and Inspirer magazine. Her short fiction, essays and poetry have been published in PANK, The Stoneslide Corrective, The Big Click and the anthologies Welcome Home, Mixed Up, and Hanzai Japan. She hosts the weekly #RecordSaturday live-tweet on her Twitter, @libbycudmore.

Show Notes.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Novelist Libby Cudmore on Men at Work, The Smiths, Tom Waits, Warren Zevon, and Steely Dan.Novelist Libby Cudmore joins Michael to discuss Men at Work, The Smiths, Tom Waits, Warren Zevon, and Steely Dan—and Star Wars, being a goth before Hot Topic, discovering crime fiction, friend breakups, and vinyl addiction.no01:14:151313. Queen of the Dandom. [Libby Cudmore.]full13. Queen of the Dandom. [Libby Cudmore.]12. A Really Happy Time. [Austin Wong.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaThu, 17 May 2018 04:12:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/12599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5afcdde1aa4a99856698bd64Austin Wong is a lifelong pop culture junkie. His mom once lamented how much knowledge he could have in his head if he stopped filling up his brain with song lyrics and movie trivia. Now that he works as an entertainment lawyer, and as a producer, writer and director, those skills are now coming in handy. He’s married with a baby girl, but it doesn’t stop him from going to every diva concert that blows through town. He can’t wait until his daughter is old enough to join him—unless she turns out to be into metal, in which case he’ll try to send his husband.

Austin and Michael discuss gay conversion therapy, being friends with football jocks and art nerds at the same time, the career trajectories of Gaga and Madonna, falling in love, and dancing until you hurt yourself.

Show Notes.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Austin Wong on Frankie Valli, New Order, Oasis, Lady Gaga, and Madonna.Austin Wong on Frankie Valli, New Order, Oasis, Lady Gaga, and Madonna.no01:16:581212. A Really Happy Time. [Austin Wong.]full12. A Really Happy Time. [Austin Wong.]11. Spacey Polyrhythms. [Alison Dennis.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaFri, 27 Apr 2018 19:26:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/11599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5ae3742370a6ade6e7b43bb0Alison Dennis grew up in various cities and towns in Oregon, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Her involvement in music started at a young age as she participated in church choirs and school band. She received a literature degree and some a cappella choir experience from Oberlin College in Ohio before moving to Portland, Oregon, where she has lived, with the exception of a short stint in New Orleans, for over a decade. Currently she writes, records and performs music under the name Dr. Something, performs keyboards, sax, and vocals in the psych rock band All I Feel Is Yes, creates visual art, and works a mundane office job to pay the bills. Alison and Michael talk about learning music in church, being a spacey kid, rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, artificial intelligence as metaphor for queer liberation, and losing control over being a control freak.

Show Notes.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Alison Dennis on the Drifters, Francis Poulenc, dios (malos), Janelle Monáe, and Counterfeit Madison.Alison Dennis on the Drifters, Francis Poulenc, dios (malos), Janelle Monáe, and Counterfeit Madison.no01:08:571111. Spacey Polyrhythms. [Alison Dennis.]full11. Spacey Polyrhythms. [Alison Dennis.]10. The Romantic from the Cove. [Juanita Critch.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaSat, 14 Apr 2018 20:20:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/10599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5ad243461ae6cfce64917949Juanita Critch grew up in a rural Newfoundland community of fewer than 50 people. After attending Memorial University, where she graduated with a BA in religious studies and folklore, she settled in St. John’s, Newfoundland, with her husband Brian. By day, Juanita writes steamy contemporary romance for Harlequin/Mills & Boon, but by night she drinks margaritas and dreams of living on a tropical beach. Juanita and Michael talk about one-room school houses where your mom is the teacher, good teens who like angry music, religious studies, the publishing industry, and missing important phone calls.

Show Notes.

This Is Your Playlist! A Spotify playlist of every song from every episode of This Is Your Mixtape [if it is on Spotify].

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Juanita Critch on Dick Nolan, Limp Bizkit, The Killers, Jimmy Buffett, and Kanye West.Juanita Critch on Dick Nolan, Limp Bizkit, The Killers, Jimmy Buffett, and Kanye West.no01:05:531010. The Romantic from the Cove. [Juanita Critch.]full10. The Romantic from the Cove. [Juanita Critch.]9. I Am Still Here. [Kari Bentley-Quinn.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaSun, 01 Apr 2018 04:00:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/9599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5ac02c001ae6cf734d787a4dKari Bentley-Quinn is a playwright based in New York City. She grew up in Connecticut, but adopted New York as home just in time to witness the September 11th attacks. Kari's plays have been produced and presented in New York, Chicago and Dallas. She's a co-founder of Mission to (dit)Mars, a theater company based in the beautiful borough of Queens, championing new play development. Kari has an MFA in Playwriting from Hunter College. She's won the Rita and Burton Goldberg Award, and was a nominee for the Doric Wilson Playwriting Award. Kari and Michael discuss childhood optimism, musical improvisation, suicide, terrorism, polyrhythms, having a calling, why immigration is awesome, and making friends in your thirties.

This Is Your Playlist! A Spotify playlist of every song from every episode of This Is Your Mixtape [if it is on Spotify].

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Kari Bentley-Quinn on The Monkees, Tori Amos, Britney Spears, Joanna Newsom, and St. Vincent.Kari Bentley-Quinn on The Monkees, Tori Amos, Britney Spears, Joanna Newsom, and St. Vincent.no01:19:4399. I Am Still Here. [Kari Bentley-Quinn.]full9. I Am Still Here. [Kari Bentley-Quinn.]8. The Precarity is the World. [Beth Martin.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaWed, 14 Mar 2018 04:20:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/8599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5aa894f4e4966b2fc5969175Beth Martin grew up in rural Ontario, in a farming community near Lake Huron—the kind of place you'd recognize from the fiction of Alice Munro. Music was a tool Beth used to establish a cohesive identity, and later to probe her relationship with the outside world. She recently completed a PhD in English Literature, and is one of the co-founders of the Megaphonic podcast network, where she co-hosts It’s Just a Show, a deep-dive into 90’s cult classic show Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Beth and Michael discuss escapism, futurism, modernity's terrifying velocity, and raising a child in a world that sometimes feels doomed.

And hey: MEGAPHONIC PARTY! We'll be celebrating at The Bastille, 16 Walmer Ave, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Saturday, March 24th, 7-11pm. Join us! Free drinks and snacks! Me, Beth, and all the other Megaphonic crew will be there to meet and greet.

Show Notes.

The Pruitt-Igoe Myth. An episode of 99% Invisible about the failed housing project Beth discusses in the context of Philip Glass's Vessels.

This Is Your Playlist! A Spotify playlist of every song from every episode of This Is Your Mixtape [if it is on Spotify].

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Beth Martin on Enya, Björk, Animal Collective, Philip Glass, and Anohni. Beth Martin on Enya, Björk, Animal Collective, Philip Glass, and Anohni. no01:08:4288. The Precarity is the World. [Beth Martin.]full8. The Precarity is the World. [Beth Martin.]7. Music is Sublimated Desire. [Drew Brown.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaWed, 28 Feb 2018 05:12:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/7599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5a96269008522939c930046aDrew Brown is a freelance writer living in St. John's, Newfoundland. He grew up in Grand Falls-Windsor, a small town in Central Newfoundland. Once upon a time he was a PhD candidate in political science, writing a dissertation about affect theory and the Canadian museum of history. He has since quit grad school to write for money. He and Michael discuss growing up in a small-scale apocalypse, angry teen boys who fall for Ayn Rand, epiphanies on public transport, quitting PhD programs, and whether there is cause to hope for the future (probably there is).

Drew’s Five Songs.

Show Notes.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Drew Brown on The Irish Descendants, Rush, Vampire Weekend, Austra, and Sturgill Simpson.Drew Brown is a freelance writer living in St. John's, Newfoundland. He grew up in Grand Falls-Windsor, a small town in Central Newfoundland. Once upon a time he was a PhD candidate in political science, writing a dissertation about affect theory and the Canadian museum of history. He has since quit grad school to write for money. He and Michael discuss growing up in a small-scale apocalypse, angry teen boys who fall for Ayn Rand, epiphanies on public transport, quitting PhD programs, and whether there is cause to hope for the future (probably there is).no01:13:5177. Music is Sublimated Desire. [Drew Brown.]full7. Music is Sublimated Desire. [Drew Brown.]6. Not Like Me. [Ned Raggett.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaFri, 16 Feb 2018 06:21:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/6599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5a866dd0e4966bc895ea25afNed Raggett writes about music for a variety of locations around the world and on the web. He's been doing it for 25 years now and he doesn’t want to stop—or perhaps, he tells me, he’s lazy and used to routine. He lives and works as a library assistant for the University of California in San Francisco.

We discuss the Muppets, exile in Siberia, the necessary lie of genre, listening to music from various perspectives, and not “fitting in” like people expect you to.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Ned Raggett on Kermit the Frog, Madonna, The Veldt, Marc Almond, and Tracey Thorn.Ned Raggett on Kermit the Frog, Madonna, The Veldt, Marc Almond, and Tracey Thorn.no01:11:3966. Not Like Me. [Ned Raggett.]full6. Not Like Me. [Ned Raggett.]5. Queer Curation. [Michael Lee Richardson.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaMon, 15 Jan 2018 05:07:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/5599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5a5c2d57e2c483cd41a24c96Michael Lee Richardson is an award-winning writer whose short film, My Loneliness is Killing Me, about loneliness in the gay community, begins production in January 2018. He's also a passionate advocate for Scotland's LGBTQ youth. Michael lives in Glasgow, but he grew up in an isolated region of England's north. You can find him on most social media as @HRFMichael (Her Royal Flyness), but he's most frequently on Twitter, where he describes himself as a “general pain in the arts”.

Show Notes.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Michael Lee Richardson on The Little Mermaid, the Spice Girls, Patrick Wolf, Girls Aloud, and Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj. Michael Lee Richardson on The Little Mermaid, the Spice Girls, Patrick Wolf, Girls Aloud, and Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj. no01:14:1855. Queer Curation. [Michael Lee Richardson.]full5. Queer Curation. [Michael Lee Richardson.]4. Mustachioed Persona. [Paul Fowler.]This Is Your MixtapeChris PiumaFri, 08 Dec 2017 18:26:53 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/4599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5a2aca9cf9619aeb0ad8b848Paul Fowler reads lewd material for a living. He’s long been involved in the publishing industry, and he’s participated in many literary endeavours. Paul grew up in a small and isolated town on the coast of Labrador, but he has lived in Toronto for more than six years, and he assures us they’re actually not all that different.

Chris’s Five Songs.

]]>This Is Your Mixtape.Musician and podcaster Chris Piuma on the Beatles, Ed’s Redeeming Qualities, John Cage, Celesteville, and Julius Eastman.Musician and podcaster Chris Piuma on the Beatles, Ed’s Redeeming Qualities, John Cage, Celesteville, and Julius Eastman.no01:20:3311. The Sublime in the Everyday. [Chris Piuma.]full1. The Sublime in the Everyday. [Chris Piuma.]0. Coming Soon.Chris PiumaWed, 11 Oct 2017 21:57:23 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/0599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:59de937aa803bb017c507852Coming soon! This Is Your Mixtape. What was your favourite song when you were a kid? a teen? a young adult? Each episode, Michael asks a guest to talk about their life in five songs.]]>This Is Your Mixtape.A new show about the music in people's lives.What was your favourite song when you were a kid? a teen? a young adult? Each episode, Michael asks a guest to describe their lives through five songs.no00:02:020. Coming Soon.0. Coming Soon.This Is Your Mixtape Episode Guide.Chris PiumaSun, 01 Oct 2017 18:11:00 +0000https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/episodes599db6208419c24160ad4a03:599db7ccbe42d63e639782fb:5c9282574192024543309513